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>Map >Satellite The "back country," which is the steep west slope of the King Range, is one of the portions of the King Range National Conservation Area which is to be managed to protect the natural state.
On the slope, much of which is quite precipitous, the dominant vegetation is the mature Douglas fir forest, much of which is virgin. The primary trees in the area include the Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii, sugar pine, Pinus lambertiana, tanbark-oak, Lithocarpus densiflora, and chinquapin, Chrysolepis chrysophylla.
There are some areas of grassland, coastal strand, and riparian associations.
The fauna is varied and includes the uncommon pileated woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus, and the endangered peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus. The Roosevelt elk, Cervus canadensis, which was hunted to extinction in this area in the early 1900's, will be re-introduced.
A number of Indian shell mounds are present.
See King Range Coastline for coastal area.
Integrity: The private holdings have been logged in large part during the 1950's and I9601s but the greater portion, which has been managed by the Bureau of Land Management, is virgin. Roads, trails and some buildings exist in the area; some of the buildings be demolished, others will remain as "life estates" of the present owners. Grazing will be allowed. Streams are being cleared of log jams to increase the productivity of the fishery.
Use: Educational, research, observational, light recreation, fishing, hunting.
September 1975
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2008 Steven Louis Hartman
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